Somerset parks commissioners cool to calls for forensic audit

Members of the scandal-plagued Somerset County Parks Commission said today they don't believe it would be prudent to pay for a forensic accounting of their books while the state Attorney General's Office is in the midst of its own investigation.

Critics of the commission have called for the full forensic audit since July when a less intensive review by a West Orange law firm found a "systematic failure" in management, control and oversight and "frequent disregard of the public bidding laws" by the commission's leadership. That review was ordered by the Somerset County Freeholders after a Parks Commission employee was charged with accepting bribes from contractors. The employee, Joseph Lucas, was eventually convicted of the crime.

Parks Commission members discussed the possible forensic audit this morning at a special meeting called to close out some unfinished business before the start of a new year.

A forensic accounting of the commission's spending for the past 10 years would be very expensive and would take years to complete, commission members said. Commissioner Robert Horowitz said the commission should not spend the money for it while the state probe continues.

In July, the Attorney General's Office issued a subpoena for records on vendors, employees' expenses, housing and cars provided to staff.

While there were some calls to disband and absorb the commission under county government, the freeholders voted 3-2 earlier this month to keep the body as a semi-autonomous agency.